A shocked dad reported his own son to the police after finding out he had vandalised a Silent Soldier memorial

And he offered to pay for the Silent Soldier to be repaired in time for an event on Sunday which will see dignitaries in Lydney, Glos, light a beacon in honour of those who lost their lives in the Great War.

The dad came forward after civic leaders called on the community to name and shame those responsible for the damage.

Hundreds took to social media to praise him after the town council announced the repairs were being sorted and the teenager was being dealt with by police.

Jayne Smailes, chief executive of Lydney Town Council, Glos, declined to give any further details but said it showed how the Forest of Dean community had pulled together.

Thugs targeting the silhouette tried to remove the solider's head by snapping its metal neck

The parent came forward after Lydney Town Council posted on its Facebook account that the Silent Soldier on Primrose Hill Mesne, a hilltop green area with park had been attacked by vandals for the second time.

Vandals had already broken off the end of the rifle and dented the silhouette when somebody tried to rip if from the ground on Saturday night and dented it further.

The council said members were “shocked and saddened” by the vandal attack on one of the five £150 silent soldiers in the town.

And civic leaders called on the community to name and shame those responsible.

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“To show such disrespect to a symbol of our Armed Forces for the sacrifice they made is, in our view, frankly disgusting and these individuals should be named and shamed,” said the post.

“This should be a time of coming together in peace and remembrance to pay tribute to all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that we may enjoy the liberties which we have today.

“To have such a symbol of their sacrifice treated in such a disrespectful and despicable way is truly heartbreaking.”

Hundreds told of their disgust and Margaret Roberts echoed the thoughts of many when she wrote: “How low can some people get. We owe our lives to those brave men and boys.”

Others said that they had heard that a group of 12-year-olds had planned a party on the grassed area known as the Mesne on Saturday night and the boy was probably not acting alone.

Residents who heard the noise wrongly assumed it was drunken revellers from a nearby pub.

A blacksmith is currently trying to repair the damaged statuette in time for this Sunday's Battle’s Over commemorations marking 100 years since the end of WW1.

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